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Soiling (child pooing their pants)
Soiling is when a child regularly poos their pants. If they're already potty-trained, the soiling is usually because they are badly constipated. Treatment from a GP can help.
Causes of soiling
You may feel angry or frustrated when your child keeps pooing themselves. But they are not doing it on purpose and may not even realise it's happening.
Soiling usually happens when a child is so constipated that a large, hard piece of poo becomes stuck at the end of their gut (rectum).
Fresh poo from higher up the gut then runs around the hard poo and leaks out, staining their pants.
Check if your child is badly constipated
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
your child is regularly soiling their pants
It's important not to try to sort out soiling by yourself.
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Treatment from a GP
A GP can prescribe laxatives to clear out the hard poo and get your child pooing regularly and comfortably again. This can take a few months to work. The GP will want to see your child regularly to check how they are doing.
The soiling may get worse before it gets better.
Things you can do at home
set up a regular toilet routine for your child – for example, they could sit on the toilet for 5 minutes every day after each meal and before going to bed
be positive and encouraging – you could use a star chart to reward your child for sitting on the toilet (whether or not they do a poo), or leave some toys or books next to the toilet
encourage your child to go to the toilet as soon as they get the urge to during the day
make sure your child is drinking plenty of fluids and has enough fibre in their diet
encourage your child to be physically active – see physical activity ideas for under-5s
Read more about constipation
Page last reviewed: 18 November 2020
Next review due: 18 November 2023
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